Itchy hands n feet - Obstetric Cholestasis :-(

[Mrs Cullen]

Hi ladies

Just wondering if any of you have had this??

It started Wednesday, when my hands n feet started insanely itching. I mentioned it to my physio n she sent me straight to see the Consultant, 3 hours n lots of tests later they said they think i had Obstetric Cholestasis.......

Yesterday i spent 7 ours in hosp where they confirmed i had it. So now have to go for a liver n gall bladder scan on Thursday. I had a steroid injection yesterday to help develop the babies lungs. Gotta go again today for another steroid injection, jsut incase they have to deliver early.......

Anyone got this or heard of anyone that has??

 

[xemmax]

sorry no experience but there is a sticky at the top of the forum about it. xx

 

[bolton_smiler]

Hiya my friend has just given birth 17days early due to this. other than that i dont know much sorry x

 

[MumOfPlenty]

The sticky at the top is very informative

I got tested for this a few weeks back, is very worrying.. But I got the all clear, and am really sorry to hear you haven't

From what I read about it, you will be getting to meet baby sooner rather than later as you will be induced at 37 weeks I think, to get baby out asap and as safely as possible.. other than that, it's medicvation and lots of regular antenatal monitoring aswell as blood tests for you.

Hope it all works out fine

 

[ivy-pickle]

When you say itching, is this all the time, continously??

Cos i had it the other day, got scabs all over my feet noe, but like i said it only lasted for a couple of days, i thought something was biting my feet.

Also had it one one finger, sounds strange i know, but same again, lasted a couple of days, felt like a bite or heat lump and now have scabs on that finger!
so is this the same or have i just a reaction to something????

 

[MissCherry15]

My family friend had this. she never mentioned it to the doctors or anyone. no scan since 20weeks and no heart beat check since 30weeks. then she had a still birth. according to the doctors its serious and most times the babys are still born. its really scary. so hope you can give birth early. i really hope you can xxx

 

[Samemka]

I had this with Emma. I started itching at 34 weeks and I was induced at 37 weeks and Emma was/is perfectly healthy.

I'm a bit confused hun as to why you've been given steroids to develop the babies lungs as from what I've read online, it's only in very rare, extreme cases that the baby is ever delivered before 37 weeks, they just tend to monitor you with a ctg (trace of babies heart) twice a week, extra scans etc, and then induce from 37 weeks. EDIT - Sorry, just seen you're having twins, this will probably explain it!!

There's other meds they could help reduce the itching (by lowering your bile acid levels which is what could potentially harm the baby) so esp. at 29 weeks ask them can they try these rather than just giving steroids. I know it's very worrying so if you have any questions just PM me

 

[Samemka]

according to the doctors its serious and most times the babys are still born. its really scary. so hope you can give birth early. i really hope you can xxx

Sorry, this is nonsense!! If you are being monitored by the hospital and they take bloods regulary, trace of the babies heart and give you extra scans and then induce at 37-38 weeks there is no risk of stillbirth any higher than the risk with a normal pregnancy. This is what will happen with the original poster as she's said she's got to go back for scans, being given steroids etc.

Reading inaccuracies like this scared the hell out of me when I was diagnosed with it!!!!

 

[Jozie]

i have it and it is awfullllllllllllllllllll, i cant sleep with itch and im constantly tired and sick. it is soooooo anoying and if it gets over board they will induce you. xx

 

[Samemka]

i have it and it is awfullllllllllllllllllll, i cant sleep with itch and im constantly tired and sick. it is soooooo anoying and if it gets over board they will induce you. xx

You're blood results would have to go over a certain figure though - they won't just induce because you're finding it really tough, because at the end of the day it's the babies health that matters most, not your tiredness IYSWIM!!

I know how incredibly hard it is having it so I really do sympathise. I'd have nights when I literally got no sleep with it

 

[Mrs Cullen]

When you say itching, is this all the time, continously??

Cos i had it the other day, got scabs all over my feet noe, but like i said it only lasted for a couple of days, i thought something was biting my feet.

Also had it one one finger, sounds strange i know, but same again, lasted a couple of days, felt like a bite or heat lump and now have scabs on that finger!
so is this the same or have i just a reaction to something????

Its not all the time, but is quite a lot....i have no scabs or anything, but get it checked just in case, its only a blood test...I have blotchy red hands and am now looking jaundice...also..

But get it checked hun, better to be safe than sorry

 

[Mrs Cullen]

I had this with Emma. I started itching at 34 weeks and I was induced at 37 weeks and Emma was/is perfectly healthy.

I'm a bit confused hun as to why you've been given steroids to develop the babies lungs as from what I've read online, it's only in very rare, extreme cases that the baby is ever delivered before 37 weeks, they just tend to monitor you with a ctg (trace of babies heart) twice a week, extra scans etc, and then induce from 37 weeks. EDIT - Sorry, just seen you're having twins, this will probably explain it!!

There's other meds they could help reduce the itching (by lowering your bile acid levels which is what could potentially harm the baby) so esp. at 29 weeks ask them can they try these rather than just giving steroids. I know it's very worrying so if you have any questions just PM me

Thanks hun, yes they gave me the steroids early as my bloods came back at quite a high level, and cos im still quite early they said they didnt want to take any chances, The itching is awful but im happy to put up with it providing these 2 are ok...Im seeing them Thurs so should know more then

Thanks

 

[TTC4No3]

Hey hun, I have OC; I was diagnosed just over a month ago at 31 weeks. They haven't given me any steroid injections as it's not their protocol in my hospital.
I am on Urso/UDCA tablets, I'm on 800mg a day at the moment and since starting it the itching has pretty much disappeared and my bile acid levels (which were at 133; above 10 is high) are all back in the normal range now; so I highly recommend you ask to be given these as they could really help you too! I'm also on Vitamin K - 10mg a day, make sure you ask for this as well to reduce the risk of hemoraghing (sp?).

So you should expect to be given these two tablets and this is the "action plan" my consultant is taking with me: CGT baby monitoring twice a week (also check blood pressure and urine), blood tests once a week to check Bile Acid and Liver Function, growth scans every couple weeks (depending on your consultant), and induction around 37-38 weeks - but this is for singleton pregnancies, twins might be earlier I'm guessing.

I also highly recommend you check out https://www.ocsupport.org.uk/ they also have a phone helpline which is great if you have questions etc, there's also a forum on there.
Good luck and feel free to PM me

 

[Samemka]

Hey hun, I have OC; I was diagnosed just over a month ago at 31 weeks. They haven't given me any steroid injections as it's not their protocol in my hospital.
I am on Urso/UDCA tablets, I'm on 800mg a day at the moment and since starting it the itching has pretty much disappeared and my bile acid levels (which were at 133; above 10 is high) are all back in the normal range now; so I highly recommend you ask to be given these as they could really help you too! I'm also on Vitamin K - 10mg a day, make sure you ask for this as well to reduce the risk of hemoraghing (sp?).

So you should expect to be given these two tablets and this is the "action plan" my consultant is taking with me: CGT baby monitoring twice a week (also check blood pressure and urine), blood tests once a week to check Bile Acid and Liver Function, growth scans every couple weeks (depending on your consultant), and induction around 37-38 weeks - but this is for singleton pregnancies, twins might be earlier I'm guessing.

I also highly recommend you check out https://www.ocsupport.org.uk/ they also have a phone helpline which is great if you have questions etc, there's also a forum on there.
Good luck and feel free to PM me

This is excellent info I had the exact same action plan/meds when I was pregnant with Emma. Good luck with your pregnancy hun, I'm sure everything will be fine xxx